The Book of Chocolate by HP Newquist

THE BOOK OF CHOCOLATE:The Amazing Story of the World’s Favorite CandyWritten by HP Newquist
(Viking BYR; $17.99, Ages 8-12)

The Book of Chocolate is a 160-page mouthwatering nonfiction book for middle-grade readers. Fourteen chapters divide the contents into categories including chocolate’s history, chocolate makers, and the process “from bean to bar.” Side anecdotes offset the text, such as a modern-day recipe for the drink Xocolatl. This ancient beverage dates to 600 BC where the Mayans of the Yucatán mixed powdered cacao beans with water and spices then served it frothy, cool, and unsweetened—they did not have sugar.

Kids will enjoy guessing the Top Ten most popular chocolates in the US (M&M’s is first) or discovering what happens at the factory. The mystery of how a Kit Kat bar remains crisp while being enrobed in chocolate is also revealed.

Adults may like learning that Alfred Hitchcock’s famous black-and-white movie Psycho used Bosco’s chocolate syrup as the blood flowing down the drain. Another fun fact: countries with the highest chocolate consumption also have the most Nobel Prize winners relative to the size of their population. Switzerland, where 26 pounds of chocolate are consumed per person annually, ranks first with 32 Nobel Prize winners per 10 million people. Americans eat 11 pounds per year, producing 10 Nobel Prize winners per 10 million people.

HP Newquist’sThe Book of Chocolate is interesting reading for tweens with longer attention spans and a handy reference for school reports. Most pages have accompanying color images, providing additional material.